Detection of C2 radicals in low-pressure inductively coupled plasma source for diamond chemical vapor deposition

The C-2 radical density was measured in a low-pressure, radio frequency (rf), inductively coupled plasma (ICP) employing a CH3OH/H-2/H2O mixture. Measurement was carried out under the conditions where predominantly diamond can be formed. At the typical growth conditions for the low-pressure, rf ICP reactor used for diamond formation, the C-2 radical density in the ICP region was of the order of 10(13) cm(-3). The correlation between the C-2 radical density and the quality of diamond films was investigated. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.